Ecclesiastes · Chapter 8

[ edit] Stryue þou not wiþ a myȝti man, leſt parauenture þou falle in þe hondys of hym. Striue þou not wiþ a riche man, leſt parauenture aȝenward he ſette ſtrif to þee. Manye men forſoþe gold and ſiluer haþ loſt; and vnto þe herte of kingus it ſtreccheþ, and turneþ. Striue þou not wiþ a tungy man, and ne greiþe þou in to þe fir of hym wode. Comune þou not to a man vntaȝt, leſt he ſpeke euele of þi progenye. Diſpiſe þou not a man turnende awei hymſelf fro ſynne, ne putte þou repref to hym; haue mynde, for alle in corupcioun wee ben. Ne diſpiſe þou a man in his elde; forſoþe of vs þei waxen olde. Wile þou not of þin enemy dead ioȝen, witende for alle wee dien, and in to ioȝe wee wiln come.

Dyſpiſe þou not þe telling of wiſe preſtis, and in þe prouerbis of hem togidere dwelle þou; of hem forſoþe þou ſhalt lerne wiſdam, and doctrine of vndirſtonding, and fructuouſli vſe grete men wiþoute pleynt. Paſſe not biſide þee þe telling of elderes; þei forſoþe lerneden of þer fadris. For of hem þou ſhalt lerne vnderſtonding; and in tyme of nede þou ſhalt ȝyue an anſwere. Teende þou not colis of ſynneres, vndirnymende hem; and leſt þou be tend wiþ þe flaume of þe fyr of þe ſynnes of hem. Stonde þou not aȝen þe face of þe ſtrifful; leſt he ſitte as a ſpiere to þi mouþ. Wile þou not leenen to a man ſtrengere þan þiſelf; þat if þou leeneſt, haue it as loſt.

Behote þou not ouer þi vertue; þat if þou behote, as ȝelding beþenk. Deme þou not aȝen þe iuge; for after þat ys riȝtwis, he demeþ. Wiþ a fool hardy man go þou not in þe weie, leſt par auenture he gregge his eueles in þee; he forſoþe aftir his wil goþ, and togidere wiþ þe folie of hym þou ſhalt perſhen. Wiþ þe wraþeful man make þou not ianglyng, and wiþ þe fool hardy go þou not in to deſert; for as noȝt is anent hym blod, and where is not helpe, he ſhal hurtle þee doun. Wiþ fooles haue þou not counſeil; forſoþe þey ſhul not moun loouen, but þo þingus þat pleſen to þem. Beforn a ſtraunger make þou not counſeil; forſoþe þou woſt not, what he bere out.

To alle men þin herte opene þou not; leſt par auenture it bringe in to þee fals grace, and yt poote reproof to þee.